


A Wizard Looks at 40

by Renny236



Series: A Harmonious Universe [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Brave New Wizarding World, F/M, Family, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Post-War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:48:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25623886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Renny236/pseuds/Renny236
Summary: This series expands on the story covered in my Harmonious Drabbleverse series.  It is not necessary to first read that story.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Harry Potter
Series: A Harmonious Universe [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1939096
Comments: 14
Kudos: 33
Collections: Happy Birthday Mister Potter





	1. They Say It's My Birthday

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Happy birthday, Harry Potter! A big shout out to the Harmony fandom, still going strong after all these years, and massive respect to JK Rowling for creating the characters and the sandbox where we first met them.

“Seamus, we understand. Just take care of Liam, and we’ll see you soon. Thanks, mate.” Harry ended the call and turned to his wife. 

“Seamus and Dean can’t make it?” Hermione asked.

“Liam has some kind of bug. Seamus just called to wish me a happy birthday.” 

“Seamus and half the Wizarding World. I think you’ve been on the phone most of the day. Bet _you’re_ glad magicals came up with a communication mechanism other than kneeling on the floor for Floo calls. I mean, your knees are _forty years old_ now….” His wife was smirking at him. Harry briefly considered pointing out that her knees were nearly a year older than his, but swift reconsideration brought realization that this could jeopardize the plan for more birthday sex later. He abruptly closed his mouth. 

As usual, she saw right through him. “Smart play, Potter,” she murmured, kissing his cheek. “I have a few more errands before the party tonight. See you later?”

He grabbed her before she could get too far away. “Not so fast, Mrs. Potter. Surely you have a better snog for the birthday boy before you leave?”

Several satisfactory seconds later, Hermione was gone and Harry was still grinning. They had been a couple for more than 21 years, and he was still chuffed to bits every day with his choice of witch. 

“Best.Decision.Ever,” he muttered to himself, settling into his recliner and summoning _The Prophet_ and a pot of tea.

 _‘Hermione was right about that phone thing, though’_ he thought. _‘It seems so strange now to think just a few years ago men older than me had to kneel on the floor to make or take a birthday call.’_

It was amazing how the Wizarding world had changed in the last 20 years. Although some of the old guard were resistant to the new technology, most wizards and witches under 45 had embraced it. 

__

_‘Let’s face it, it’s just bloody inconvenient sometimes to have a head show up in your fireplace or a Patronus galloping into the room.’_ He had reason to know - more than one romantic evening had suffered awkward interruption in the early days of their marriage. _‘Of course, that was before kids, back when we still got to HAVE romantic evenings…’_

__

Not that he begrudged his children. Harry had always known he wanted a family, though for a while in his youth, he hadn’t expected he’d live long enough to have one. Somehow, they’d ended up with four, and Jamie, Minnie, Colin and Susie were everything he’d hoped for. _‘Brilliant, and beautiful, and brave. Thank God they take after their mother,’_ he thought fondly.

__

Putting down the newspaper and picking up his tea, Harry wondered what changes the next generation would bring to magical society. _‘Is it even possible to change it more than we did?’_ he wondered. He really wasn’t sure they could.

__


	2. The Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which The Plan is formed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the purposes of this story, Victoire Weasley was born in 1999.

Refilling his teacup, Harry reflected on his work with a strong sense of satisfaction. Other than his marriage and his children, it was the thing he was the proudest of. The plans he and Hermione had made over 17 years ago had been fulfilled beyond their wildest dreams.

…

Immediately out of school, he'd signed up for the Auror corps. While he enjoyed the training and even excelled at it, it had taken him less than a year on the job to realize he'd already pursued all the dark wizards he ever wanted to pursue. He'd switched over to the training side, and that improved his job satisfaction a good bit, at least for a couple of years.

Hermione was keen on obtaining her A-levels immediately after Hogwarts. Determined to also remain pertinent in the Wizarding world, she simultaneously took on what turned into a series of part time jobs in various Ministry departments in an effort to determine where she could best make an impact following graduation. By the time she was done with university, however, she was already weary of the politics that immersed Ministry personnel. Shortly after Harry proposed, his fiancée announced they needed to have a serious talk about their careers.

"I'm bored, Harry. And I think you are. This can't be all we're meant for!"

Green eyes regarded her skeptically. It had been five years since the end of the war, and Harry still did not think he was ever going to have his fill of boredom. However, it was clear Hermione had a plan, so….

"What are you thinking, love? I thought you were on fire to change the Ministry from within."

"I _was_! But now I'm thinking it's not just the Ministry I want to change, Harry. It's the Wizarding world. It's too _backward_ , and most of those born into it don't even know it! Honestly, quills and robes and, and ghosts who teach history that was ancient even when they were still living….And do not get me STARTED on the attitudes toward witches and Muggleborns!"

He had no intention of it, since those subjects had been exhaustively covered in prior conversations, several times actually. "What are you proposing, pet? Won't working at the Ministry help you enact change?"

Hermione sighed dramatically and stopped pacing long enough to throw herself down on the sofa beside him. "Maybe if I was Minister of Magic. Except I'd **hate** being Minister of Magic – no life to call my own, Floo calls 24/7, political agendas behind every casual conversation. And probably a hundred nasty things I haven't even thought of. Not to mention that I think our society is still years away from having a female Muggleborn Minister of Magic. We haven't even had a male half-blood Minister yet. Now if _you_ were interested….?" She arched an eyebrow in his direction.

Harry shook his head so hard his black hair flopped into his face. "Merlin's pants, Hermione, are you having me on? I have NO INTEREST in being Minister of Magic. Ever!"

He belatedly realized she was laughing at him. "Well, I didn't think so, but I had to _ask_. I do think I'd be pretty brilliant as the power behind the throne," she whispered as she snuggled close.

He settled in to cuddle his girl. "I've no doubt of it, but since you are clever enough to have calculated probable failure with Plan A, I'm assuming you have a Plan B?"

She sat up suddenly, her brown eyes intent on his face. "I do, actually. I think we need to focus our efforts on change for the next generation. We want kids, but what kind of world do we want our children to have? You're a half-blood, I'm a Muggleborn, we both grew up in the Muggle world. Do we want to limit our kids to magical society? If they choose to walk in both worlds, do we want them to face stigma for that choice?"

She was pacing again, and waving her arms about, the way she always did when she was really worked up about an issue. Harry was pretty sure he would never stop thinking this was adorable but knew better than to lose the thread.

"Education is _everything_ , Harry, and the Wizarding world is so backwards about it. Home schooling until 11, which means barely any English or maths or basic sciences. I mean, yes, some of the wealthier families get tutors but most purebloods teach their own children. And not every parent is cut out to be a teacher, nor do they have a consistent grasp on every subject!

" _Then_ the child goes off to Hogwarts – which if you were raised in the Muggle world is a COMPLETE shock. And that shock is compounded when you find out they want you to give up your sensible notebooks and pens for quills and parchment and ink. INK, Harry! And the Muggle Studies and History of Magic classes are JOKES, with **no** current information, and then there's Divination, which is complete rubbish, and Astronomy which, okay, it is interesting but from a practical application standpoint? And there are so many magical subjects that Hogwarts doesn't teach, like Enchanting and Animagus Studies and Occlusion…"

Harry interrupted gently. "So where do we fit in?"

She dropped to her knees on the sofa facing him, hands fisted in her shirt and the fire he loved in her eyes. "We're war heroes, Harry, and we have a fair amount of gold, thanks to the prize money. And we **know** people, some of them quite wealthy, and even some of the ones who DON'T know us are grateful to us." She took a deep breath. "I think we need to do two things. I think we push the Department of Magical Education to reform some things at Hogwarts. And I think we start a primary school. But not in that order."

As his jaw dropped, she hurled herself forward, burying her face in his jumper. "You're looking at me like I've gone round the twist," she muttered.

He was, a bit. Quite frankly, he was trying to wrap his head around what he was saying. Major reform. Of education. That would benefit their own children, and generations after them. And maybe other kids who were raised in the Muggle world and knew nothing of the magical, or children from magical households with a Muggle parent who wanted a comfort level in both worlds. Perhaps pureblood children who would never perceive Muggle households as inferior because they had freely interacted with Muggleborns from an early age.

A bit worried by the prolonged silence, Hermione looked up to see Harry lost in thought. Sensing he needed some time, she murmured something about making tea and headed to their small kitchenette.

Harry barely noticed her leave. _'A school? Should we really open a school?'_

He thought about the first magicals he'd seen trying to pass as Muggles and how abysmally they'd failed, and about Arthur Weasley, fascinated by Muggle culture, but never once exploring that world as far as he knew. He thought about magical children growing up having never seen a movie, or gone to a playground, or read Winnie the Pooh and who did not even know what they were missing. But Harry, who had missed all of these things himself as a child, _did_ know now and had already determined that his own children would have them all. Could he change that for others? _Should_ he? And was their society truly willing to change?

He thought about how accepting most children were. If Muggleborns and half-bloods interacted with pureblood children at an earlier age, could the misunderstandings and disdain passed from one generation to the next be reduced or eliminated? He thought about how he loved teaching, first with the DA so long ago and most recently with new Auror recruits.

But children? He'd never really spent time with children as an adult. Sure, he saw Teddy and Victoire from time to time, and had even changed a nappy or two when they were younger, but he'd never really tried to TEACH them anything, had he?

He was struck by a sudden memory of Victoire crying outside the Burrow the prior year. She'd fallen off her toy broom (charmed to fly no more than two feet off the ground) and was afraid to try again. Teddy had laughed and then flown off without her; Harry spent the next hour showing her how much fun flying could be. He'd started off with stories about flying, then coaxed her into riding ahead of him on his broom until she was willing to give steering a try for a bit. When she was ready to try again on her own broom, he'd stayed by her, running beside her and then jumping on his Firebolt to fly alongside, even though he had to lift both legs so that his trainers wouldn't leave trails in the field. The memory of the happiness on her face when she realized she could do it made him smile again even now.

A chance to get kids interested in learning, and to be excited about their magic. To head off bullying and cliques. To help both cultures see there were good things in each. Warmth flooded him at the concept. _'I'd love it,'_ he thought, as Hermione walked back in with their tea.

"I'd love it," he said out loud, his voice sounding raspy to his own ears. "And we'd be brilliant at it." Slowly, "And you're right, I think we know a lot of people who would support us on this."

She beamed and set down the tea tray, then started going through her bag on the table. "I've started a list!"

His grin was swift. "Is it colour-coded?"

And suddenly they were laughing like loons and then, when the giggles trailed off, making love on the sofa. Later, in bed, the list (which was, in fact, colour-coded) came out and the discussions began.


	3. Phase I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which The Plan is launched.

Harry smiled to himself as he sipped his tea, reflecting on all the work, connections, contributors, and political maneuvering that had been needed to make their primary school a reality. _'I still can't believe we pulled it off as quickly as we did.'_

…

Within eighteen months, The Potter Primary Academy was cleared to open for children aged five to ten with full support from Kingsley Shacklebolt, who immediately saw the potential in what they hoped to accomplish and who directed more than one contributor to the cause.

They were humbled completely to receive contributions from most of the families who had lost schoolchildren during the War, in honor of lost loved ones. So many people wanted to contribute, in fact, that it was clear fairly early that they would be able to offer a few more scholarships than they had hoped.

Hermione had accepted a full time position with the Department of Magical Education after returning from their honeymoon. This allowed her to work closely with the Wizarding Examinations Authority and with the Ministry's new Muggle Liaison Department (run by an actual Muggleborn) to get a curriculum and end-of-grade goals approved for the new school. Although she would not be working directly at the school herself for the next few years, she was involved in every major decision as they worked to enact her vision.

Minerva McGonagall, now Headmistress at Hogwarts, had instructed staff to mention the new primary school to parents whose eleven year old was receiving a Hogwarts letter, if those parents had younger children at home. Andromeda Black was quick to register six year old Teddy at the school, and to promote the school to the parents of his friends. Likewise, Fleur Delacour-Weasley proudly let other young mothers know that five year old Victoire would be a member of the first class that would complete all primary years of education at The Potter Primary Academy.

Almost before construction was underway, their flat was receiving daily owls with requests for registration or more information. Harry was a bit astonished at the interest that was expressed. Hermione tried hard not to look smug, but was perhaps not completely successful in her endeavors.

After hours of discussion, Harry and Hermione had decided the 2004 launch year would provide education for children aged five to eight, with a maximum of sixty students in each grade – three classes of twenty per age group. The plan was to add a fourth educational year in Year 2 for existing students only, with a similar plan for a fifth and final year in Year 3. If all went well through Year 5, they would consider doubling the school size and had been careful to contract for land that would allow such expansion.

Their first primary graduates would move on to Hogwarts with a minimum of three years blended instruction behind them. That instruction included teachers and classmates from both worlds, and a curriculum which offered a sound foundation in mundane subjects, an overview of magical society and its governance, and an overview of Muggle society and **its** governance. Magic could not actually be TAUGHT at the school, given the restrictions on under-age magic, but it could be demonstrated by adults. Harry saw no reason Muggleborn students should have to wait for a wand purchase to start learning about the magical world.

Surprisingly, they found receptiveness to the Muggle-style school uniforms they planned. It seemed a number of pureblood former Hogwarts students, now parents, were a bit self-conscious about their lack of knowledge of and lack of comfort in Muggle society. ("They probably remember us laughing like loons at some of the outfits we saw their parents wear at the World Quidditch Cup," Harry told Hermione.) Like most parents, they wanted something better for their children. And of course, many were just relieved that they would not have to teach their children reading and basic maths on their own.

Muggle parents, several of whom had seen their older children somewhat overcome by the complete culture shock of their first Hogwarts year, were thrilled at the prospect of a smoother transition for their little ones. They were also relieved at the opportunity to meet magical teachers and parents associated with the new Primary school before those children would be sent to board at Hogwarts at age 11.

The Potters had agreed almost immediately they had no interest in running a boarding school. Younger children needed time with their parents, and they hoped that the stories the students would tell at dinner would go a long way toward broadening mindsets at home. Children would be dropped off at the school or Floo in, whatever was easier for the household.

They were not sure whether the plan they were most excited about would be well received. They wanted each class to take two field trips a year – one into the magical world and one into the mundane one. As they explained to sometimes hesitant parents, they had the full blessing of the Ministry and the Department of Magical Education in this.

In order to ensure that the Statute of Secrecy was preserved, the new generation needed basic information about how the Muggle world operated. To lessen the chance for historical prejudice to continue, each side needed to know how the other half lived, as it were. And because there were some occasions where magicals needed to be in the Muggle world, such as the Quidditch World Cup, it was important to know how to dress and how to interact to reduce the need for Obliviate spells.

The Wizarding world really was changing since the War. With war heroes comprised of Muggleborns and half-bloods as well as purebloods, the Ministry had been quick to establish some new departments and positions, including a Muggle Liaison Office. The Muggle world was changing rapidly as well as technology advanced, and the Potters gently suggested that real-life exposure was the best defense. They also believed that shared experiences would create bonding opportunities for children of different backgrounds.

In the end, permission slips were signed by all parents. Signing was reluctant in some cases, but no one wanted their child to be the one left out. Opportunities to chaperone were offered, as some parents made it clear they would feel better being present to keep a protective eye on their child.

The Potters were secretly thrilled by the interest in chaperoning. "Familiarity doesn't breed contempt, Harry," Hermione was fond of saying. "Familiarity breeds **COMFORT**."

Comfort - physical, mental, emotional - was something that was considered at every aspect. They wanted their students to be comfortable in both worlds and with one another, and later to be able to share positive experiences from each world with siblings and other Hogwarts children who had not had that benefit. To have an opportunity to increase parental comfort as well was an unexpected blessing.

After the school launched, the field trips proved wildly popular with all age groups. In fact, school staff learned early that good behavior would typically be restored after a mild reminder that anyone not complying with the school's comportment rules would be left behind at the next outing.

An unexpected (but secretly hoped for) outcome was how much interest parents came to express in continuing cross-culture exposure on weekends and school breaks. Apparently the excited chatter at home after an outing fired the interest and imagination of both older siblings and parents alike. More than one pureblood parent owled over a request for attire or travel suggestions for a family outing to the London Zoo or a movie theatre. Similarly, Muggle parents wanted to know what to wear to Diagon Alley, how to address the goblins in Gringotts when requesting currency exchange or how to play Exploding Snaps. Eventually, the school developed flyers listing suggestions and tips in both worlds, and provided them on request.

Children who graduated from The Potter Primary Academy knew how to get a letter delivered by both owl and by post, knew about the primary forms of transportation, appropriate attire and comportment in both worlds, could name both the Minister of Magic and the Muggle Prime Minister, and had seen movies, mundane magic shows, television, a tennis match and a rugby game as well as traded Chocolate Frog cards, visited a Magical Creatures preserve, attended a Quidditch game and a Celestine Warbeck concert.

They'd toured Parliament as well as the Ministry of Magic, were as comfortable traveling by Tube as they were by Floo, and visited Diagon Alley as well as a major Muggle shopping mall. They could look up a Muggle phone number in the Directory and place a telephone call from the school's office as well as make a Floo call.

Audrey Weasley, a former Muggle pre-school teacher, was one of the school's first hires. Susanna Marchbanks, a great-niece of Griselda Marchbanks who worked at St. Mungo's as a Medi-Witch, was another. Given his own academic career, Harry knew firsthand the benefits of having a Medi-Witch on staff and he finalized that hire before he had even finished interviewing teachers.

They had determined Harry's title would be Assistant Headmaster but he would primarily serve as Excursion Organizer and staff liaison, rather than teaching a specific class or grade. This would allow him to interact with all the children ("Playing right into your taking care of people instincts," said his wife, who wasn't wrong.), while at the same time utilizing his war fame to get the children exposure to places and people that might otherwise have been challenging. With multiple field trips to arrange and - at least until the school doubled in size - attend, Harry expected to be very busy, but in the best possible way.

They were extremely fortunate to be able to hire an experienced Headmistress in Deidra Wells, an early 40's Australian witch who had recently moved to the UK when her husband, Thomas, accepted a position in the new Ministry Muggle Liaison Office. Thomas was a Muggleborn wizard from the UK, who had graduated Hogwarts in 1975. Harry was thrilled to learn that Thomas remembered his mum and dad, although the former Ravenclaw professed he did not know either of them well, since Harry's parents were just 4th years when he graduated. He and his family had moved to Australia shortly afterward to avoid the coming war, where he had met his pureblood wife.

Despite the age difference, the two couples were soon fast friends. Over time, Harry realized that Thomas's reticence to talk about his parents stemmed in part from his distaste for the Marauders. He had apparently born witness to James' crush on Lily and the subsequent bullying of Severus by James and his friends. He never owned to not liking James, but finally admitted he had been a little surprised to learn that Lily had married him. It was more than a bit unsettling to Harry that such an obviously good man had probably disliked his dad. Once again, he was saddened at the fact he would never have an opportunity to form his own opinions and relieved that he had chosen a career path that would keep him out of harm's way once his own children came along.

Interviewing staff took a bit longer than planned since Hermione had a full time Ministry job, but the school opened on schedule on September 1, 2004. The five and six year old classes were completely full, the third year classes less so, but they were pleased with the overall headcount.

Hermione took a four week leave of absence from the Department of Magical Education to be available for the launch and to meet all the parents personally. Harry was glad she was there as the first several weeks were chaotic beyond belief, with multiple unanticipated bumps in the road. Minerva McGonagall was also a godsend, seemingly always available for a panicky Floo call, and their relationship with their former Head of House expanded to monthly dinners which included Deidra and Thomas. These events seemed to always include a fair amount of whiskey and a good bit of uproarious laughter as Harry, Minerva and Deidra shared stores of the behind the scenes view of school life that most were never privileged to see.

They decided early that guest speakers from all walks of life would be brought in at least quarterly for a sort of "Career Day" presentation beginning in third year, so that the children would know from an early age the wildly varying jobs available and the education path best suited for each. Minerva liked the idea so much she promptly adapted it for Hogwarts, incorporating it into a new required Introduction class for Hogwarts first years, where information on the requirements for Masteries and A-levels would be distributed as well. All of the war heroes found that few potential speakers said "no" when they made the Floo call.

At Christmas, Harry was given the best gift of all when Hermione announced that she was pregnant. After they were done celebrating the news, she said seriously, "But now we know our timeline, Harry. In less than 12 years, this child is going to be heading off to Hogwarts. We can't forget about Phase II."

Phase II of their plan was to get the Hogwarts curriculum revised. After discussion, they realized this would need to wait a bit since Phase I was still very much under construction.

The next two years were devoted to the Potter Primary Academy, the arrival of James Daniel Potter and the addition of a fifth education year at PPA, as they had taken to calling the school.

After Jamie was born, Harry decided early that it was a good thing he had a job to go to because he could easily see staying home and staring at the baby all day. Getting Jamie to smile, or even to grab his finger, was the highlight of his day. Watching him feed or sleep filled him with such a warm glow in his chest that he sometimes looked down to make sure the glow wasn't showing through on the outside. ("But it is," said his wife. "It's just on your face, not on your chest." Once again, she wasn't wrong.)

His son fired protective instincts he did not even know he had. Jamie was not even a week old when his dad put the former Auror training and friendships to good use, hosting a warding party. The resulting wards around their flat were so strong that the joke became only specially cleared owls could be used to deliver mail or they would be reduced to feathers. Harry laughed with his friends, but secretly regretted nothing.

As they neared the end of their second year at PPA, with one year to go until their first graduating class would head to Hogwarts, they agreed it was time to launch Phase II.


	4. Phase 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phase I was a success. On to Phase II!

_Phase II had begun with what Harry's wife had liked to call Stealth Mode. They had agreed their plan would work best if people thought the ideas for change were their own rather than having changes thrust upon them. As it turned out, the typically forthright Gryffindor couple had quite liked sneaky._

...

The campaign started with casual conversations with the PPA parents (Harry and Deidra - fully on board with the plan, having laughed herself silly at her husband's descriptions of his UK education) and with the Department of Magical Education management (Hermione).

The first parent-teacher conference after the launch of Phase II was with Bill and Fleur Weasley. Harry made a point of walking them out.

"Thank you so much for sending Victoire here. We will always be grateful for your faith in us."

Fleur placed her hand on Harry's arm. "'Arry, she has loved it here. And she has learned so much! And we are learning so much from her!"

Bill nodded. "We knew with you and Hermione involved, not to mention Audrey, she would get a good education. But, to be honest, I don't think we really knew what to expect from all the rest of it…" His voice trailed as he saw Harry's smirk and raised eyebrow, and he had the grace to chuckle even as he reddened a bit.

"Well, you know us, Harry, you've been around our family. Sure, we all met a few Muggleborns at Hogwarts and we never had anything AGAINST them per se, but they were always on wizarding territory so to speak, and seemed thrilled to be there. I mean, I didn't see a great deal of you when you were younger, but that seemed to be true of you too.

"Until Percy married Audrey, really **none** of us had spent any time in the Muggle world. And then Victoire comes home talking about this experience and that experience, and it sounded like the Muggle world was not as backward as we had always believed. And then Fleur started volunteering for the excursions last year to see for herself…."

Fleur took over seamlessly. "And Bill is very lucky, 'Arry, because if I had known years ago that Muggles were immune to the Veela charms…"

"And just simple things, like the pens and the notebooks," Bill added, grinning at his wife. "After I bought a couple for work, half the goblins at Gringotts wanted them."

They all laughed, and then Harry said seriously, "Do you think our students can keep the camaraderie going once they get to Hogwarts? I mean, if they get sorted into different houses, and they take that outdated Muggle Studies course, do you think Victoire and Clara will still be best mates? Are they going to forget this time where they were so close and saw their backgrounds as equal, even though they were dissimilar?" Pureblood Victoire Weasley and Muggleborn Clara Higgins had been firm friends since their first day at PPA.

Fleur exchanged glances with her husband, and Bill said slowly. "I don't think either of us can imagine Victoire not being friends with Clara. And we've really hit it off with her parents – we see them at least once a month for movie nights." Harry had not known that. "But you're right about the House pressure at Hogwarts, Harry. I got along with everybody, but my closest relationships were in Gryffindor. Yours too, I think."

Harry nodded. "Everyone seemed to hate the Slytherins, but it wasn't just that. Nobody really socialized much outside of their House. We ate with our housemates, we studied with them, Quidditch teams were House teams. The whole House points system looking back bothers me a bit."

"Me too, as I look back. We don't want that for Victoire, or for any of our kids. I may talk to that Muggle liaison chap, Deidra's husband. He might have some ideas. Deidra too. I hear the educational system is much different in Australia."

Harry carefully did NOT grin. "That's a great idea, Bill. Maybe Minerva also? I mean, Hogwarts is giving out information on A-levels now for those who are interested, and who ever thought that would have happened? There may be other things she would like to change, but without knowing that parents actually _want_ change…."

"Good idea, Harry. Will do. Thankfully, we have a few years left at PPA before Victoire will head to Hogwarts, but it's probably not too early to see if we can get the Snitch started on its flying lessons."

As they left, Harry let that grin escape. And thought that perhaps the Sorting Hat had been right after all – maybe he could have been Slytherin.

...

"I can tell something is on your mind, Hermione," her boss said after their department's weekly catch up conference. "Anything I can help with?"

Hermione appeared reluctant. "It's really silly, Solomon, but something somebody said this morning brought back that dismal History of Magic class I took at Hogwarts. I just don't have very fond memories of Professor Binns, and it still bothers me how much of Wizarding history I probably don't know."

The kindly older wizard laughed. "Binns! I had forgotten all about him, to be honest. Probably on purpose, truth be told. Dear me, but that ghost was a bore!"

"I was just wondering - was the material, oh I don't know, more CURRENT when you were there?"

Solomon chuckled again. "No, not at all …. He was always so secretive about his death date, but our joke was that it must have been 250 years ago!"

Hermione sighed. "Lovely. I suppose I can look forward to Jamie owling home in a few years complaining about the same thing. What a shame we can't send a ghost to school. Surely there's been SOME history of note in the past 250 years!"

"You make a good point, Hermione. Hogwarts is a fantastic institution, but that doesn't mean it doesn't need to keep up with the times. I say, you're good friends with Minerva McGonagall, aren't you? Why don't you suggest that we work together with her staff and review the Hogwarts curriculum with an eye for updates?"

Hermione hesitated. "Oh, Solomon, I wouldn't want her to feel I was meddling. I think the world of Minerva! Harry and the PPA would have been lost without her support and wisdom."

"Nonsense, Hermione! I have never known a more pragmatic witch than Minerva McGonagall. Tell you what though, why don't I give her a Floo call later this week and make the suggestion without mentioning you? And then we can all get together over the summer holiday to start the review? Sound good?"

Hermione beamed. "Sounds good, Solomon. And if we are able to change that class, I'll make sure Jamie knows later who he has to thank!"

….

"You know, I think this is well-timed, Solomon," Minerva said a few evenings later after she'd waved him through the Floo and they'd settled in with a glass of Firewhiskey. "There are changes we probably do need to consider at Hogwarts. Just the other day, I had a couple of parents owl me about the Muggle Studies class. I confess, I've probably been putting off talking to Binns about History of Magic. I know I'm Headmistress now, but Binns was here when we were in school, so…"

Solomon's uproarious laugh cut off the rest of her sentence. "And you were practically vibrating with rage after every History of Magic class, Minerva McGonagall! Sparks would practically fly off your hair, and there were times I thought your lips were going to disappear because they were pressed together so tightly!"

"Yes, well, I don't believe most of us who genuinely enjoyed learning were fans of his teaching style and outdated material, Solomon McEwen," Minerva said primly. She sighed. "I actually did once ask Albus about possibly sacking him when I joined the staff here, but he always just smiled and said that Professor Binns was a Hogwarts institution."

"I don't know if the ghost even enjoys lecturing, Minerva, but if he does," Solomon leaned forward conspiratorially, "who is to say that his lectures require an audience? Plenty of empty classrooms in this castle as I recall."

Minerva's eyes glinted as she raised her glass. "Well, I'll drink to THAT!"

Over the summer holidays, Minerva, Solomon and Hermione met several times to review the Hogwarts curriculum with the instructors. Minerva raised the valid point that they should not change too much too quickly, both because she had a very short time frame to staff for curriculum changes before the new school year and because of the likely pushback with immediate wholesale change.

A new History of Magic teacher had been hired with the plan that the class would meet in a new classroom. Professor Binns, as it turned out, DID like to lecture but had no objection to the removal of the students as long as he did not have to relocate.

By the time the new school year started in September, Solomon McEwen had joined the monthly dinners with the Wells, the Potters and Minerva. At the October dinner, Hermione passed on the offer of whiskey and announced that in May, Jamie would have a little brother or sister. In December, the Wells offered to host the gathering and make it a small Christmas party. All jaws except Hermione's dropped when Minerva and Solomon arrived together, very obviously a couple.

"Did you KNOW?" whispered Harry. His wife just smirked.

Hogwarts curriculum revision continued over the next several years. Professor Binns continued to lecture in his old classroom while the History of Magic students now met in a new room with a live teacher, studying events through the launch of the Potter Primary Academy. Minerva committed the school to updating its material at least every five years.

Muggle Studies was expanded and became a required course for all first and second years, and an optional course after that. The OWL and NEWT tests for those who did want to continue were significantly revised and, starting in second year, the course load included a Muggle outing. ("That alone probably guarantees some third year interest," said Harry.)

By 2008, Divination and Astronomy were no longer required courses, replaced with Basic Healing ("And where was this when I was a kid?" muttered Harry) and Political Science, which taught all students the basics about the Wizenmagot, the DMLE and other Ministry departments. Guest speakers in that class were common. An Animagus Studies class was added as an optional course starting in fourth year, as were Occlusion and Spell Casting starting in third year. ("I'm so jealous, Harry!" "I know, love. But you'd have needed TWO time turners.")

At the end of the 2009-2010 school year, Hogwarts students and staff voted overwhelmingly to abolish the House system. They also voted overwhelmingly to keep Quidditch as a school sport, with four school teams. Tryouts would determine who was qualified to play, but then the positions on each specific team would be determined by the staff to ensure equal talent. As a nod to the school's historic past, the teams would keep the same names, but could now be staffed by any student, regardless of his or her prior House affiliation. ("Good thing," said Harry. "D'you know how much Gryffindor Lions gear I've got?" "It won't matter," said Hermione. "If Jamie or Minnie or the new baby end up on one of the other three teams, you'll be wearing those colors.")

Yep, the Potters were expecting again. Just in time for the Potter Primary Academy to double in size.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are appreciated!


	5. Wizards, Meet Technology!

' _The school_ _and the Ministry post-War changes definitely played a role in the evolution of the Wizarding world,_ Harry mused over his tea, _'but Draco Malfoy and George Weasley stood our world on its wand.'_

Malfoy had disappeared after graduation, fleeing to America in the face of unrelenting taunts, hexes and unflinching hatred from much of post-war society. When he returned to the UK nearly nine years later, they learned that he had spent most of the early years in the Muggle world, determined to learn as much as he could about the society his family had disdained for so long.

He'd ended up enrolling in a California university (Harry was still convinced he'd confounded his way in) and ultimately graduated with double majors in both electronics and electrical engineering. Malfoy had seen a lot of magic in his life, but he was blown away by the fact that the smallest child could turn the household lights on and off as long as there was a way to reach the switch. By the time he found out that most Muggle information could be accessed in seconds through a handheld phone, rather than in musty books without a proper indexing system, he was properly hooked and determined to learn everything that he could.

After university, he'd deliberately sought out a magical community on the Oregon coast, with a burgeoning plan for how he could ultimately restore the family fortune and his place in UK Wizarding society. He spent the next several years commuting to work in a Muggle electronics engineering firm and studying for his double masteries in Enchanting and Spellcrafting in his free time. During his time there, he'd fallen hard for a lovely young Muggleborn mind-healer named Cassandra, and when he returned to England, she came with him as his bride.

His first order of business was to track down George Weasley. It took several weeks to get George to have a conversation with him. It might have been nearly a decade, but George was still actively mourning the loss of his twin to Draco's aunt. Draco finally forced the issue by tracking George to the Muggle bar he'd taken to hanging out in after the store closed on Saturdays and biding his time until he knew George was drunk enough to not risk Apparition. After a few starts and stops, he was finally successful in getting George to look at his prototype phone, where he'd carefully warded the battery in such a way that it continued to function even around magic - most of the time. And he explained his idea.

Drunk or not, George was enough of a businessman to immediately see the potential. When they met again two days later, he was ready with questions. After several meetings, a business plan was developed and a partnership was formed. George contributed the start-up capital and the Transfiguration expertise. Draco brought his electronics and electrical engineering knowledge, along with his Enchanting and Spellcrafting skills. They both were more than proficient in Charms and stubbornness.

After months of trial and error, a lot of arguing, multiple failures, a good bit of Muggle whiskey and one fairly small explosion (for which each blamed the other), they figured out a way through a combination of skills and a fair bit of battery warding for the phone to work consistently even around magic. The Wiz Wireless debuted in 2009 and was an immediate commercial success, with Whiz Wizards, LLC raking in galleons wand over fist. And somehow, although each would have probably bet against it, George and Draco had become fast friends.

While he maintained an ownership interest in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, and continued involvement in product development, George abandoned day to day management to Ron to report to Whiz Wizards each morning "to don my mad scientist hat" as he announced proudly each day. Sometimes Draco begrudged the fact that Percy's wife Audrey had introduced George to Muggle films, but in keeping with his new equanimous nature, he mentioned this only every third day or so.

Even with the Malfoy coffers restored, the Wizarding world did not rush to forgive Draco for his war crimes and family connections. Slowly, though, the tide did turn. Surprising the purebloods, it was the Muggleborns and the half-bloods who were the first to move on.

The fact that Malfoy had married a Muggleborn and appeared to dote on her doubtless helped, but they also recognized that they were the immediate target audience for the new product. "Maybe now everyone can stop pretending it's 1809. Ta, mate," said one young customer.

What finally started to melt the pureblood hearts was Cassandra Malfoy convincing George, who the Malfoys were now having round for dinner every week, to attend mind-healing sessions. Many had tried and failed, but for some reason, the soft spoken young witch was able to get him to listen where others could not. Slowly, the hard shell George had erected since Fred's death started to erode.

As George finally let himself start to heal, Molly Weasley found herself changing from someone whose wand hand twitched whenever she was in Draco's vicinity to someone who now had to fight off the urge to hug him hard. She became Draco's very vocal champion, and in the face of her ringing endorsement, not even Ron and Harry dared snub Malfoy any longer. Though it took another two years and the gift of a prototype register that rang up purchases, calculated change, tracked shop inventory and sent reorder reminders for Ron to completely stop referring to him as Ferret-Face.


	6. Happy Birthday, Harry!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Reviews are welcomed.

“Dad! **DAD!** ”

The exasperation in his son’s voice let Harry know that his reminiscing at some point had turned to dozing. _“Merlin, am I THAT old?’_

“Yes, Jamie?”

“Mum says you’re not answering your wireless. She seems to think you’ve been kidnapped or something.” Ah, THERE was the patented fifteen year old eyeroll. He hadn’t seen it since this morning.

Stifling a chuckle, Harry checked his phone and found he’d somehow managed to turn the ringer off by accident. Again. This was a piece of information best kept to himself. It had been years since anyone had tried to kill him, but Hermione still had a tendency to worry when she couldn’t reach him. And of course the children mocked his ineptitude any possible opportunity.

“No kidnapping, just had the ringer off to catch a bit of shut-eye. Big night tonight for the old man, right?” 

A reluctant smile lit Jamie’s face. “That’s right. We’re all getting ready to celebrate the fact that you’re OLD.” Mischief lurked in his brown eyes.

Already ringing Hermione back, Harry said, “Son, I am not old. And do you know how I know this to be true? Your mother is almost a year older than me, so if I’m old, you would be saying she is ….? Ah, hello love. No, I have not been overcome by Dementors. Just had the ringer off on the wireless.” 

He covered the phone to murmur “Good lad,” to Jamie, who’d grown quite pale at the hint that his mother would not like to be thought of as old. “You may want to go get ready, and tell the others. Your mum says they’ll be ready for us soon.”  
  


While it was not a surprise party (their friends had realized the error of surprise parties after the horror of Hermione’s surprise 30th, when the birthday witch had burst into tears at being caught with a messy house, a tot in tears, hair all over the place and spit-up on her shirt), the details had been classified Top Secret. He knew only that he was to wear whatever he wanted, and be ready to Portkey with the kids on command. 

Calling out to the children as he bounded the stairs, Harry quickly changed into khakis with a black dress shirt. He glanced briefly at his dress shoes, but opted in the end for his well-used trainers. He dragged a comb through his hair and yet again gave it up as a bad job. Heading for the stairs, he ran into his youngest on the upstairs landing and saw her green eyes narrow as she saw his shoes.

“Really, Daddy? Trainers?” Susie had just turned seven, but clearly regarded herself as the fashion authority in the household. His daughter was wearing something frilly with sparkles. The sparkles extended into her brown hair, he noticed, and once again that hair was laying exactly as she’d intended it, despite the very best unruly hair genes any parents could possibly pass on. (“Honestly,” Hermione said frequently, “the child was born knowing more hair charms than we ever will!” She wasn’t wrong.)

Minerva, age 13, joined them as they started downstairs. “Leave him alone, Susie. It’s Dad’s birthday and he can wear what he likes.”

“Thank you, pet. You both look lovely.” Harry directed a warm glance at his eldest daughter. Her own brown hair in its natural state rivaled her mother’s for frizziness. On this occasion, though, she’d clearly made an effort and had somehow achieved curls instead of chaos. The tomboy still shown through in her own jeans, though he was pleased to see she had chosen a beautiful green blouse and sandals to wear with them. 

Minnie and Susie both snorted. “Susie consulted on wardrobe and hair,” Min confessed.

“So where’s Colin?” Harry asked. 

“Oh, he was helping at the shop this morning, so he said he would just stay and come over with Uncle Ron and Aunt Luna,” Minerva explained.

Like most ten year old wizards, Colin thought Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes just about the coolest spot on the planet. He often hung about the store on summer weekends, with Ron’s eldest, Geoffrey, who had just turned eleven and would be heading to Hogwarts in the fall. Ron didn’t mind, saying that the boys’ enthusiasm for the products often boosted sales. He’d long since taught them to stock shelves and package purchases in exchange for after-shift ice cream and candy and the opportunity to test the merchandise. (He’d actually been foolish enough to offer them galleons, but the boys had been firm in negotiating more favorable terms.)

***

Harry and Hermione had been married nearly four years and had two children before Ron surprised everyone by bringing Luna to a family dinner. They’d seen their old classmate sporadically over the years, but she had spent quite a lot of time since graduation traveling the world, finally capturing a photo of the elusive crumple-horned snorkack near the top of an ancient volcano in Chile. 

Ron, who had given up his Quidditch dreams to help George with the store after the horror of Fred’s death, had spent most of those years going through a seemingly endless string of young witches. Just as the family had begun to despair of him every settling down, Luna had popped into the store to say hello. They were still talking when it was time to close. She stayed to help, and he thanked her by offering to buy her dinner. Somehow dinner turned into breakfast also as they realized they’d talked the entire night. 

The dreamy classmate who had once been more than a wee bit odd had grown up. While some of the dreaminess remained along with the serenity that Luna had always seemed to carry with her, gone were the radish necklaces and the butterbeer cork earrings. When she smiled over one of his own stories at breakfast, Ron felt like he’d just been hit with a bludger to the head. 

As her smile deepened in response, and she reached for his hand, he could have sworn he heard an almost audible click. “I just knew,” he later said simply. They were married three months later and now had three children, with eight year old Emma and four year old Natasha rounding out the family.

***

“So where are we heading?” Harry asked Jamie as they met in the foyer. “You’ll find out when we get there,” his son answered cryptically. “But you’d better tell Mum you like it,” he added as they all grabbed the pre-prepared portkey and felt the familiar navel pull.

…

Harry caught himself before stumbling and looked up to see his wife shaking her head in amusement. “Really, Potter? You’re 40, for Merlin’s sake,” she said, coming forward. 

Hermione was wearing a deep yellow, flowy dress that ended just at her knees showing a good bit of her excellent tanned legs. The cosmetics she rarely wore had been employed tonight, accenting the deep chocolate of her eyes and curve of her rosy mouth. The fitted top portion of the dress showed off her other curves nicely and left her arms bare. Her hair was coiled on the back of her head, exposing her neck. Harry couldn’t stop staring as he waited for his kiss.

“DAD!” hissed Jamie, jabbing him sharply in the back with what felt like his wand. _‘Oh, right,’_ Harry thought. _“I’m supposed to compliment my surroundings.”_

“You look beautiful. Best present ever,” he murmured huskily, reaching for his wife and ignoring the retching sounds of his offspring as he pulled her in for a kiss.

“HARRY!” Hermione was blushing rosily. “We have guests!”

Harry finally noticed where they were. Tents had been sent up on the grass in front of the Black Lake at Hogwarts, one filled with food and a really enormous cake, others with tables and chairs, and two with dance floors while another hosted the band. Fairy lights sparkled everywhere he looked and the sun setting over the lake completed the beauty of the scene. He belatedly realized that they were surrounded by friends and family and that their audience was cheering.

From nowhere, a flash memory of a young Harry in a cupboard shot across his brain. He could feel himself trying to hold back tears as Thomas pressed a drink into his hand and clapped him on the back. As if on cue, everyone started to sing “Happy Birthday.”

Hermione, who always knew, slipped her arm around his waist and leaned against him as she joined the singing. As the song concluded, Ron called for a toast and raised his glass as the crowd quieted. “To the Boy Who Lived Again. And we’re all damn glad about it.” As their friends cheered again, Harry hugged Ron and then his kids and his wife. 

“You okay?” she murmured, hand on his cheek, gazing into eyes that perhaps were sparkling a bit too brightly. Behind them, the band started and couples started flocking to the dance floors while the kids headed for the food. Harry cleared his throat. 

“Ron just got the toast wrong, that’s all.” Her brow arched in silent inquiry, concerned brown eyes locked onto green. “He should have said ‘To the man who has it all.’ Because I do.” 

His voice broke. “And I have. Ever since that kiss in the library.” He kissed her hand, still against his face. “Thank you.”

Her lips curved in a sensuous smile. “Don’t get too sentimental yet, Potter. There’s a lot of party ahead.” She patted his cheek and started to walk away, then smiled back over her shoulder with eyes that gleamed with private promise. 

“And later, when we’re home, I’ll let you unwrap your gift.” She headed toward the tent, leaving him simultaneously aroused, comforted, and amused.

Damn the witch. She **always** knew. And for the second time that day, he congratulated himself. “Best. Decision. Ever.”

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A Wizard Looks at 40 expounds a bit on the universe created in my story The Harmonious Drabbleverse. If you'd like to read the story of Hermione's ill-fated surprise birthday party, check out Hermione's Surprise Party. If you are interested in other outtakes from this 'verse, let me know in the comments. Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Reviews are appreciated!


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